The present invention relates to a safety device in a motor vehicle and more particularly relates to a safety device comprising a retaining element connected to the back-rest of the rear seat of a motor vehicle, the retaining element being adapted to extend between the back-rest of the rear seat of the vehicle and the roof of the vehicle in order to prevent luggage stored in the vehicle behind the back-rest of the rear seat moving forwardly should an accident arise in which the vehicle stops suddenly.
It has been proposed to provide previously a retaining element in the form of a retractable net provided on a retractor roller mounted adjacent the top of the rear back-rest of a motor vehicle such as, for example, an estate car. In use, the net is pulled out over its full length and the free end of the net is engaged with anchorage points provided in the roof of the motor vehicle. It is to be appreciated that in this position, the net will prevent any objects present in the rear luggage compartment of the vehicle from moving forwardly into the part of the vehicle where the occupants of the vehicle are located, even if the vehicle does decelerate rapidly, for example in a crash. However, if the back-rest is tilted to a forward position, the net will be too short to reach the roof. If the net is made long enough to reach the roof when the back-rest is in a tilted forward position, then when the back-rest is in the elevated position, should an item of luggage impinge against the net during an accident situation, the net will have a sufficient length to permit the luggage to move forwardly into the compartment where the occupants of the vehicle are located.
The present invention seeks to provide an improved safety device.
According to this invention there is provided a safety device in a motor vehicle, the safety device comprising a roller retractor mounted adjacent the top of the back of a vehicle seat, the roller retractor having wound on it a sheet-like protective element, the seat back being moveable between alternate positions, the sheet-like element being extractable from the roller retractor to engage anchoring means secured in or adjacent the roof of the vehicle, the length of sheet-like material extracted from the roller retractor being different in the said different positions of the back of the seat, the roller retractor mechanism being associated with a locking mechanism, the locking mechanism being actuated in at least one of the said positions of the seat to lock the roller retractor to prevent the extraction of more than a predetermined length of said sheet from the retractor roller, the length being sufficient to enable the sheet to be secured to the connecting means provided in the roof of the vehicle.
Preferably said retractor comprises a retractor roller, the said sheet being wound on the roller.
Conveniently the roller is prevented from rotating by the locking mechanism.
Advantageously the locking mechanism comprises means adapted to engage an element co-rotating with the roller to prevent rotation of the roller, and actuating means, to actuate the engaging means, the actuating means incorporating a gear mechanism, there being selectively positionable means, which are positioned in dependence upon the position of the back-rest, adapted to engage part of said gear to prevent further rotation of the gear and to actuate the engagement mechanism.
In one embodiment the gear arrangement comprises a planetary gear.
Conveniently the planetary gear arrangement comprises a ring gear which is fixed in position relative to the back-rest, a planet holder which is rotatably mounted in position and which carries planet gears, and a sun gear engaged with the planet gears, the sun gear being connected to the said engagement means, a latch being provided which is movable to selected positions in dependence upon the position of the back-rest, the latch being adapted to engage engagement means provided on the planet holder.
Preferably the engagement means comprises one or more steps provided in the outer periphery of the planet holder.
In an alternative embodiment the gear comprises a ring-gear which is movably mounted in position, and adapted to be driven rotationally by a sun gear, and a sun gear engaging the ring-gear, the sun gear being connected to the engagement means.
Advantageously a latch is provided which is movable to selected positions in dependence upon the position of the back-rest, the latch being adapted to engage engagement means provided on the ring-gear.
Conveniently the engagement means comprises one or more steps provided in the outer periphery of the ring-gear.
Advantageously the engagement means comprise a clamping member having a periphery defining at least one cam surface and a movable element located between the cam surface and a clamping surface that surrounds the clamping member, the clamping member rotating with the roller extractor, the locking mechanism serving to retain said movable element substantially in position.
Conveniently a striker component is provided mounted in position and adapted to strike a locking member to cause the locking member to move when the seat back is moved to at least one predetermined position, the movement of the locking member changing the position of the latch.
Preferably the latch is carried by a catch that engages the locking member.